A New Arrival (Part 2)
" It's still not enough evidence to declare a war between us and them. Yes, they have been adamant about having an alliance with us, they still have been by our side when we needed them. They do have a great army and they have always been loyal to us, if we accuse them of treason then that would truly be the end of their support we would certainly cause our downfall" His Grace approached the situation from a different angle citing that the Yagorites needed to remain a friend rather than to have them as an enemy.
"Are you saying that we should agree to their terms? They are only interested in being on the council and if Elise is going to marry Yura's son" Elijah never wanted an arranged marriage for any of his children, it may have worked for his parents and his grandparents and the entire family line before him. However, it did not work for him nor Jasper and he knew he wanted his children to have the option.
"What your father is saying is that since we have all returned it would be fitting to have a celebration" Her Grace has always been in tune with her husband she knew that he would never put his grandchildren in any dangerous situation. What he was implying took everyone else some time to process but not his wife.
"You mean to host a celebration to welcome your return showing we are continuously strong" Elijah began to put the pieces together and listen to what his father had said.
"During the celebration, we also gain information about the Yagorites' intentions as well as our other alliances and perhaps we can see how Elise and Yura's son interact" there has finally been some relief seen on Rena's face, knowing your enemy had always been her first thought of strategy, she never had to look for her enemy by first assuming that they could be an ally.
"Then it's settled, we shall begin preparations, since we postponed the council meeting, I trust that two hours would be enough time to expect your attendance?" Elijah looked towards Luka, his father, his mother and Jasper.
"We will be there, son and don't worry the council will agree to this" Her Grace reassured him that he has their full support and that this is the best decision that could be made given the circumstances.
They all agreed and mounted on their respective horses which they arrived on and rode back to the castle. They rode the path with the most shortcuts and returned their horses to the stables. They entered the castle and were warmly welcomed by their servants, who were given notice of their arrival by those who unloaded their luggage from the docks. After being greeted, they made their way to their bedrooms to settle in until lunch was ready to be served and then afterwards the council meeting would take place.
"I need to speak with you alone, in the garden, thirty minutes" Jessica gently pulled Rena's arm and whispered to her before they were separated once again.
"Of course and it's good to have my best friend back" she kissed Jessica's cheek and they each went their separate ways.
Elijah, Rena, Luka and Meera went to the training grounds to see how Elise, Renner and Eon were progressing.
"Okay, take a depth breath and release the arrow" Luka and Meera's son Alexi was their tutor. At six years old he was already progressing quickly, now sixteen years old he had already commanded his army. Elise had hit the bullseye, while Renner and Eon's arrows were close to the target, anyone who had not known the siblings could say that it was the three-year age difference. But at age seven Elise was hitting the target, then again she was always more serious as a child when it came to her training. She always wanted to be the best and be just like her mother, she holds herself to a high standard. Renner and Eon on the other hand preferred to compete against themselves though they were evenly matched, the only difference was the Eon was more interested in naval warfare
Elensia would rarely meet an opponent at sea which meant their knowledge based on practicality was limited, however luckily for Eon, his uncle Ash was just the same and was quite experienced when it came to sailing and engaging in battles on sea.
Claps were heard, Alexi and his cousins turned around to see his parents, all four of them rushed into their arms. The speed tackled them to the floor, the air was filled with laughter.
"Mom, Dad, it's so good to see you. How was your trip?" they all eventually stood to their feet.
"It was great, the water was very calm and..... we brought gifts. But you have to wait until the whole family is together" Meera wanted to give the children something to look forward to, their family gathering because the unknown road ahead was not going to be easy.
"And grandma, grandpa, uncle Ash, uncle Jasper and aunt Jessica have also returned" Elijah added to the excitement.
"When are we gonna see them?" Renner asked
"At lunch, we have a meeting before that. But first, we need to have a word with Elise" Rena then extended her hand towards Elise, she took it and they walked off
"Alright men and lady, let's see if we can't get a little snack before lunch" Luka threw Renner and Eon over her shoulders and walked with Meera and Alexi to the kitchen.
Elijah and Rena guided Elise to a nearby bench where they placed her in the middle of them.
"Sweetheart, we will be hosting a gathering to celebrate the return of your grandparents, aunts and uncles. Now, there will be nobles from our and other kingdoms and allies as well, many of whom you have never seen but will be introduced to" Rena chose her words carefully, occasionally glancing at Elijah to see if he agreed with what she was saying. She never thought this discussion would ever happen and if it did it would be when Elise was much older.
"One of our allies is called the Yagorites, their people are similar to mommy's tribe, the Sirrah. They have fought by our side in many battles, they have a very skilful army. Their leader's name is Yura and he has a son who is two years older than you" Elise searched her mother's fave, coupled with her words she was trying to figure out what she was asking before she had asked.